Man injured fleeing blaze at Chittenango restaurant

One man was seriously hurt Saturday as he escaped a smoky blaze at Auntie Em's Place, a restaurant on Chittenango's main street, village fire officials said.

The fire at 262 Genesee St. was reported at 11:11 p.m., according to Madison County Fire Control.

Bill Peters lives across the street from the restaurant. He heard banging and went outside to investigate. He said he saw a man in a second-floor apartment above the restaurant break a window. As soon as the glass broke, black smoke poured out, and the man climbed out.

"Once he got on the roof, he collapsed," Peters said. "It was like his legs were all weak. The man was covered with black soot."

Mike Terpstra, Ryan McGee and Dave Starusnak were watching a boxing match in a next-door apartment. They heard the banging and went outside.

Starusnak said he boosted McGee onto the roof. "The guy was bleeding, so I took my shirt off and tied it around his arm," McGee said. Village police Officer Andy Costello arrived, climbed a ladder and carried the man down, McGee said.

The victim was in serious condition early today at University Hospital, fire officials said. Starusnak said another man made it out of a back apartment on his own and was OK.

Fire departments from Chittenango, North Chittenango, Bridgeport, Cazenovia, Canastota and Fayetteville responded to the fire. Genesee Street, which is Route 5, was closed. By midnight, flames were no longer visible, but smoke and steam were billowing from the building.